Dashcams act as reliable witnesses on the road, aiding in clarifying accident details, identifying car thieves, and providing security in parking lots. Suddenly someone will hit the car — the camera can record the offender and thus help with his search, if the culprit fled the scene. In addition, advanced models are equipped with GPS-informer functions, built-in driving assistants and even the ability to directly upload the captured video clips to cloud file storages.

First of all, when choosing a dashcam, you need to decide on the design.

Form factor and mounting

Dashcams also differ in form factor. Models with a camera, head unit and screen in a single square or rectangular body are considered classics. Dashcams without a display are a more compact and discreet alternative to traditional models. You can connect to them from a smartphone via Wi-Fi.

Mirror dachcams are installed as an overlay on the rear view mirror or instead of it. Such models skillfully imitate the interior design of the car and remain completely invisible from the street. The display of such dashcams is located under the reflective surface of the mirror and is not visible when turned off.

Finally, there are so-called modular video recorders - with a separate electronic control unit. The main unit of such models can be hidden somewhere in the glove compartment, and the compact camera can be hidden. The control unit in their design is separate from the camera.

The form factor of dashcams can be very diverse.

Brackets for mounting dashcams are attached to the windshield of a car in two main ways:

Vacuum suction cup mounting is more convenient in terms of ease of installation and reusability. However, the suction cup can fall off the glass in the cold or due to low-quality manufacturing material. The sticky tape sticks to the windshield, but it deprives the driver of the possibility to remove the bracket completely.

Attaching a dashcam to a bracket using various clips is common in everyday use, while screw fasteners are less popular. The most convenient option is often a quick-release magnetic mount, which also facilitates the supply of power through it. This setup allows the power cable to be connected directly to the bracket from the cigarette lighter, rather than the dashcam unit itself, making it convenient for frequent removal and reinstallation.

Magnetic through-powered mount is one of the most convenient options for mounting the dashcam.

For added convenience, the mounts are often swivelable in order to be able to quickly point the lens towards the side window. This can be useful when communicating with traffic police officers.

Resolution and angle of view

To achieve clear and detailed images, opting for a higher shooting resolution is crucial. Higher resolutions like Full HD (1920x1080 pixels) are recommended for quality recordings, while options such as Super HD (2304x1296 pixels), Quad HD (2560x1440 pixels) or even 4K (3840x2160 pixels) provide even greater detail, making objects and license plates more visible on the recording.

Note that some inexpensive dashcams use the digital interpolation method: capturing is done in the conventional Full HD frame format, and the result is converted to a higher resolution using software methods. Interpolated image is not a panacea, because artificial pixel accretion does not increase detail. The quality of such a picture is noticeably inferior to true 4K.

Along with the resolution, the recording speed (frame rate) is often specified. In budget models and initial medium-range dashcams it is 30 fps, in more expensive ones — 60 fps. Higher frame rate provides smoothness and clarity of the image during dynamic driving. On a freeze frame from a video of a conditional car dashcam with high-speed recording in Full HD, there is a much better chance of seeing the license plates of oncoming cars. And at the standard 30 fps, the picture at the same speeds may turn out to be blurry.

When recording at a higher frame rate, the video will be less blurry in motion.

Models with a wide field of view minimize the risk of losing important details out of the frame. You can choose among these options:

A viewing angle between 140 and 160 degrees is optimal. Narrower angles risk missing crucial details, while excessively wide angles can lead to distortions at the picture edges, particularly during high-speed driving. Additionally, some dashcam manufacturers may overestimate the viewing angle by indicating it diagonally rather than horizontally.

Good to know. A clearer idea of the capabilities of the device is provided by the number of captured lanes, if such a parameter is indicated in the characteristics of the car dashcam.
Quad HD Dashcams

Sensor and processor

Capture resolution does not play a decisive role in terms of the final video quality if the dashcam has a low-quality sensor. There can be a lot of options. But there are also undisputed leaders among image sensors. Thus, signs of high-end devices are sensors from Sony or OmniVision.

A sign of high-end devices are TOP sensors from Sony.

The processor is always responsible for processing images from the sensor. It determines the speed of the device and its ability to work with high frame resolutions. High-quality dashcams are equipped with processors from such manufacturers:

  • Ambarella;
  • Novatek;
  • MStar.

Dashcams sometimes do not indicate either the name of the sensor or the processor. But if the model you like has some of the above-mentioned components installed, it will definitely benefit it.

Helpful advice. You can estimate the quality of the dashcam recording by test videos — choose a specific model from the catalog and proceed to the "Video reviews".

Night capture and WDR/HDR high dynamic range

Specialized recording modes enhance the capabilities of dashcams in various scenarios. Night mode improves video quality in low-light conditions, while WDR and HDR technologies are useful for scenes with drastic lighting changes. The WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) function is implemented in dashcams at the hardware level. It is designed to equalize brightness so that the details in the frame are equally clearly visible both in bright light and in the shadows. HDR (High Dynamic Range), on the other hand, functions at the software level, but may be less detailed compared to WDR. These modes help mitigate glare from headlights, adjust exposure when transitioning between bright and shaded areas, and enhance overall image brightness.

A clear advantage of WDR and HDR technologies in video recording conditions with strong light variations in the frame.

The work of polarizing CPL filters is also aimed at improving video quality. These can be built into the DVR lens or attached to it separately. A polarizing filter minimizes glare from bright light sources and helps eliminate reflections (such as the projection of a dashboard on a car's windshield). Note that some models of car dashcams support the installation of CPL filters.

Dashcams with WDR

Number of cameras

Dashcams are single- and dual-channel, less often multi-channel. What does it mean? Single-channel models are equipped with one camera, the lens of which is directed forward in the direction of travel. In dual-channel devices, it is possible to connect an additional camera, and in multi-channel devices, several such cameras can be connected at once. The remote module is usually used as a rearview camera. In this case, virtual parking marking lines can be superimposed on the image to assist the driver.

Models with an external rearview camera often have the ability to display the picture on the dashcam display when parking (with virtual marking lines superimposed to help the driver).

To monitor the interior of a car, there are dashcams with interior camera. They are used to control the situation inside the car — similar models are often installed in taxis and commercial vehicles.

Dashcam with external camera

Assistance systems

G-sensor and motion sensor

Literally every dashcam must have a shock sensor or G-sensor that detects impacts, sudden accelerations or braking, and car overturns. Such a sensor protects video files on which an accident was recorded from cyclic re-recording.

A motion sensor is particularly useful for parking surveillance, enabling automatic video recording upon detecting any movement in the frame. This feature helps capture incidents of vehicle damage in parking lots, conserves memory card space, and minimizes battery consumption.

Dashcams with motion sensor

GPS and radar detection

Dashcams use global positioning systems (GPS) in various ways. Basic models feature a built-in satellite navigation module, linking vehicle coordinates and speed to the video recording. Advanced models with a GPS informer offer expanded functionality, providing drivers with useful information such as warnings about stationary cameras, increased accident rates, and road hazards. To enable this feature, the dashcam's memory must be updated regularly with a database of relevant objects.

Advanced models can have a database of police cameras or be equipped with active radar detectors (banned in some European countries).
Dashcams with GPS informer

Driving assistants

The functionality of advanced dashcams has long gone beyond the banal video recording of road conditions. To improve road safety, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) are built into dashcams. They can combine one or more technologies:

  • LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System) — monitoring of lane compliance. Dashcams with this function monitor road markings and issue an audible warning if the vehicle deviates from the current lane.
  • FCWS (Forward Collision Warning System) — distance control. This traffic assistant monitors the safe distance to the vehicle ahead, warning of the risk of collision with another vehicle in traffic. FCWS is normally switched off at low speeds to avoid excessive activation in traffic jams.
  • LLWS (Low Light Warning System) — a reminder to turn on the headlights. The function is triggered when it gets dark outside the vehicle.
  • Driver fatigue detection systems — for example, anti-sleep. Such assistants analyze the driver’s behavior and can warn of possible fatigue or distraction. However, there are simpler implementations of the function. The above-mentioned anti-sleep system periodically wakes up the driver with a special sound signal, preventing him from falling asleep while driving.
ADAS enhances driving safety.

The category of traffic assistants also includes intelligent systems for automatic recognition of road signs. They serve as a kind of safety net for the driver, duplicating the signs on the DVR screen. Most often, such a function is aimed at recognizing speed limit signs and compliance with prescribed speed limits.

Dashcams with LDWS

Communications

An important role in dashcams is played by the Wi-Fi module, that is used for:

  • remote setting up the dashcam from a smartphone;
  • transferring captured video files to mobile devices;
  • uploading videos to cloud services;
  • software and database updates.
Dashcams with a Wi-Fi module can interface with mobile devices and transfer videos to them.

Certain dashcam models equipped with Wi-Fi and/or a built-in LTE modem offer live streaming capabilities. This feature enables remote connection to the dashcam, allowing real-time viewing of camera recording. Particularly useful for dashcams with interior cameras, it facilitates monitoring of drivers in taxi, delivery, or commercial cargo transportation services.

Bluetooth is less common in dashcams, and this connection is used both for exchanging files with mobile devices and for transmitting various sound notifications to the conventional main unit of the radio. The specific implementation of Bluetooth pairing depends on the dashcam model.

Dashcams with Wi-Fi

Power

The dashcams are powered from the cigarette lighter socket of the car. And for their own needs they use built-in rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors. The first option provides several minutes of autonomous operation of the device. However, rechargeable batteries can't withstand temperature changes and direct exposure to sunlight — if heated regularly, they may swell or fail prematurely.

Dashcams with a supercapacitor as their own power source can easily withstand both high and low temperatures.

A high-quality alternative to a classic battery is an ultra-high-capacity supercapacitor (ionister). Large capacity is indicated here not in the context of autonomy, but in terms of the ability to quickly accumulate and release charge. Such drives have a number of advantages: immunity to low and high temperatures, long service life, high reliability and safety of operation (supercapacitors do not catch fire or explode in extreme situations and accidents). The one disadvantage is that the ionister's charge is enough for just a few seconds of operation. In other words, autonomy is out of the question - in dashcams the supercapacitor is used for finalization of video recording and correct shutdown of the device.

Dashcams with supercapacitor

Additional features

To ensure ease of use, dashcams can be equipped with a touch screen. It’s even better if the device understands voice commands or supports gesture control — in models with such functions, the driver is less distracted from what is happening on the road.

Some dashcams operate on the full-fledged Android OS, allowing users to enhance their functionality by installing additional applications from the Google Play Market. The Android operating system was installed on individual copies of mirror dashcams and they feature a large interactive screen covering the entire reflective surface of the interior rear-view mirror, unlocking the potential of the smart shell.

The smartest mirror dashcams can run Android OS.

The built-in data storage in the dashcam may also be useful. Internal memory is necessarily present in the mentioned models running Android OS, and in classic models it allows you to do without the need to use external drives.

When selecting a reliable dashcam, prioritize its video recording capabilities above all else. Look for models with at least Full HD resolution, wide-angle optics (140-160° or wider), and features like a G-sensor or data protection button to prevent overwriting. If budget permits, consider additional features such as multi-channel recording, GPS support, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a supercapacitor for power supply.